[uucdigest] Sunday, April 16 2000 Volume 03 : Number 606 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | For all available Digest commands including unsubscribe/subscribe, | visit the BMW UUC Digest page: http://www.uucdigest.com | Send SUBMISSIONS to [EMAIL PROTECTED] | Complaints? Send 'em to [EMAIL PROTECTED] if you must. | Visit http://www.bubbaclub.com | www.bimmers.com - "serving enthusiasts on the 'net" | Visit http://www.bimmer.org - ultimate BMW bulletin boards! | Subscribe to the Zionsville Autosport Parts Digest: | http://www.zionsvilleautosport.com/majordomo.htm ����������������������������������������� In this BMW UUC Digest: [uuc] Searchable archives [uuc] E23 - Automatic tranny problem Re: [uuc] Re: water pump and other torques.... [uuc] BMW Sandwich Re: [uuc] Schroth Harnessbelts [uuc] re: UUC short shifter [uuc] <E28> cheap(ish) headlight upgrade report [uuc] this shouldn't hurt the DME at all... Re: [uuc] BMW Sandwich Re: [uuc] Good ending to the Water Pump story Re: [uuc] Good ending to the Water Pump story Re: [uuc] Schroth Harnessbelts ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 01:14:59 -0700 From: "S. Cooperman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Searchable archives Do we still have searchable archives with the UUC digest? If yes, how do I access them? Thanks for your help. Steve Cooperman Tucson, Arizona ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 04:47:10 PDT From: "Trevor Turner" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] E23 - Automatic tranny problem I have an E23, 1986 735i, with the 4 spd auto with the electric 3 position switch. My problem is that recently the car has started to stick in the 3-2-1 mode even when I don't touch the switch at all. This means I have to use the auto manually, not a real problem since I removed the lock out lever, but when in this manual only mode I don't have 4th gear. I have removed the switch and the connector at the gearbox and sprayed with contact cleaner but no change. It has now got to the point where it is almost permanantly on the 3-2-1 seeting. Are there any other connectors in this wiring that I could look at before I have to go inside the gearbox, I don't want to do that as I have just put new synthetic fluid in and its too pricy in Australia to go draining it out just for the fun of it. Any help would be most appreciated. Regards from DownUnder Trevor Turner ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 10:16:09 -0400 From: "Gary Derian" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] Re: water pump and other torques.... Good point Brett. It is very common to over-torque smaller bolts and under-torque larger ones. It takes some practice to get a feel for bolt torque. As a bolt is tightened, the torque to continue turning it increases linearly. Any time the bolt is turning but the torque stops increasing, or of the torque increases too quickly, there is trouble. I use a nut driver on anything 10mm or smaller. When using a bending beam type torque wrench (the type I prefer), you can see the buildup of torque as the bolt or nut is turned. Gary Derian <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> - ----- Original Message ----- > The most used tools I have are 1/4 inch drive sockets. > > Why? Because I'm not a particularly strong fellow and it's real difficult > to get enough torque on a small 1/4" drive ratchet with one hand, to break a > bolt. > > If it's 13mm or below, chances are pretty good that I'll use the 1/4. > > Now, if you want to tighten a 10mm nut on a 6mm stud, with a 1/2 inch drive > long handle ratchet, well, you're gonna have a problem....... > > > Brett Anderson > www.koalamotorsport.com > Home of the E30 M3 CD-ROM repair manual > > > > > ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 10:27:02 -0400 From: "Peter Sterne" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] BMW Sandwich Yesterday morning my 6 year old son and I were victims of the SUV craze. We were waiting patiently behind a Lexus LX470 who was making a left turn, when we were struck, without warning, from behind by a Lexus LX300 which drove us into the SUV in front (complete with trailer hitch). The 5 occupants of all 3 vehicles were wearing seat belts, so nobody was seriously hurt. The SUV that hit me had a messed up bumper cover and a slightly dented hood; the SUV I was driven into was essentially undamaged. My car didn't fare so well: both bumpers are heavily damaged, and there are dents in the front panel, the rear panel, and the spare tire well. It actually looks like the small Lexus SUV's bumper went underneath mine (gotta lower that thing 8^), and drove my rear end upward (felt that way too), so the trunk is sprung partially open. Unfortunately my yellow headlights and not-quite-right hood (windshield wiper arm rubs on it) appear to have been untouched (I'm not sure about the hood 'cause I can't get it open). The woman who was driving the SUV that hit me was given a warning ticket for "following too close", so I guess she will be considered responsible for the accident ... I hope so, because I certainly couldn't have done anything to avoid the accident, even if I had seen her coming. Driving the car home from the accident it felt slightly out of alignment. Then, when I was crawling around inspecting the damage I noticed that the steering gear seems to be leaking around one of the boots. I noticed moisture on those boots when I changed the oil recently, but there wasn't any fluid actively leaking. Any opinions on whether the accident could have caused this? Finally, I was trying to assess the speed at which the SUV hit me. It felt pretty violent inside from inside my car, but the airbag did not deploy. I know that US airbag regulations were based on the 30 mph unbelted occupant test that NHTSA used to use, but I can't find anything in Bentley or Haynes that indicates the speed of impact which should cause the airbag to deploy; does anybody know? I'm not surmising that the airbag should have gone off (actually I'm delighted that it didn't), just trying to calibrate my subjective experience (felt like I got hit at 50 mph, probably was really 15 mph). Lastly, I'm seeking recommendations for a good body shop in Fairfield County, CT or Westchester County, NY. Regards, Peter Sterne '93 325is (compact) '91 Miata SE (would have had a SUV on my head if I'd been driving this one) ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 11:02:11 -0400 From: Ron Katona <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] Schroth Harnessbelts Mark Dadgar wrote: > This is NOT what the ASM flap on the Schroth belts is for. ASM is to > allow you to bend at the waist. This prevents you from submarining > under the belts and doing serious internal organ damage. Thanks Mark - you're right. I didn't research the ASM "feature" enough. These misconceptions are out there though, so it's good that we discuss it and get the right information. > Note that neither of these purposes helps you materially if the car > rolls and the roof comes down. And that makes me wonder... If it doesn't really help in a rollover, and if it _may_ have problems in multiple impacts with or without a rollover based on the incident at the Glen, and if it needs the ASM to begin with because it's not a 5 or 6 point design... then what good is it? What is the advantage of this belt system? To be held in the seat tighter at the expense of safety? So BMW owners can install a harness without poking holes in their floor pans or seats at the expense of safety? So BMW owners can have a dual use car at the expense of safety? ...just wondering. > - - Mark, Schroth 4-pts and no roll bar, dedicated track car search in > progress (track car will have a TC Kline bar and real belts) Yea! - -- Ron Katona ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 11:13:02 -0400 From: darren Beilstein <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] re: UUC short shifter I was wondering which short shifter I should order for my car. I have an 89 325is. I was also wondering how difficult it is to install the shortshifter. I am far from a mechanical genius, but I have managed to change my oil, put in a new chip, fix a broken electric window on my car and other "litle stuff." Is the short shift really something I can install? Thanks in advance Darren ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 11:57:06 -0400 From: Patrick Burns <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] <E28> cheap(ish) headlight upgrade report So I've been using my new headlights for about a week now, and since I live on Cape Cod, and it's spring time, I've had the chance to drive in dry conditions, rain, fog with dry roads, and fog with wet roads. :) For those who've simply been avoiding my endless headlight posts, but are reading this one, the car's an '86 528e, and replaced the stock sealed beams and pitted stock fog lamps with the following: Autopal H4 high/low Euro lamps with 80/100 watt bulbs Autopal H1 high Euro lamps with 100 watt bulbs Hella 530 amber fogs with 55 watt bulbs I've built a heavy duty wiring harness with 12 gauge leads to each headlight filament and 12 gauge leads from each bulb to ground, 2 40 amp Hella relays for the 4 high beams, and a 30 amp Hella relay for the low beams, with every connector crimped and soldered. Relay switching power is drawn from the stock left high/low connector. The low beam fault indicator is disabled via jumpers in place of the low beam fault relay, and I've got what's effectively a ~3 ohm resistor (a 50 watt sealed high beam) running across the stock rightmost high beam connector to eliminate some strange behavior on shut down. Now I've got a 50 watt underhood work lamp. :) The stock wiring harness is totally intact, and I'm utilizing the stock fog light wiring for the Hella 530s. The Autopal lamps cost me just under $90 with shipping from AutoOptiks. The Hella 530 fogs, two Hella relay kits (a third is included in the fog light kit), three Hella 80/100s H4s, three Hella 100w H1s, and an extra 55w H3 (for the fogs) ran me $130 through Susquehanna MotorSports. The lights are great; everything you'd expect from this upgrade, had you read all the stuff on the 'net you could find about Euro headlight upgrades. The low beams have a nice even pattern and don't seem to annoy oncoming drivers, the high beams remind me of KC Daylighters. (that's a compliment, BTW), and none of the cops I've passed have bothered to pull me over. The Hella 530s, which are the cheapest Hella fogs I could find, work beautifully, and look like they belong on the car (except for the amber reflectors). After one small modification to each housing (slightly enlarging the hole for the rubber grommet to seal where the wires run into the back so I could use the car's stock part), they fitted right up, using the stock mounting holes in the bumper. I'm very happy with everything, including the service from AutoOptics http://www.autooptiks.com and Susquehanna MotorSports http://www.susquehanna.com/susq/ But Knowing what I know now, if I had it to do all over again, I'd skip the overwattage H4s and really simplify the task of wiring everything up. I'd use 55/60w H4s with the stock wiring for the outer lamps, and 100w H1s with one relay and 12 gauge wires for the center lamps, drawing relay switching power from the stock left high beam connector. This would allow me to keep the low beam fault indicator working as stock, and eliminate strange behavior from the wiring when I shut everything down. Plus, it'd be even cheaper. :) ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 12:15:09 -0400 From: "Rob Levinson - UUC Motorwerks" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] this shouldn't hurt the DME at all... http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=309990547 ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 12:11:23 -0500 From: "Daniels, Jason S" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] BMW Sandwich Glad to hear that everybody was all right. Your lucky that it was the 300 that hit you from behind. It would have been a lot worse otherwise. That cop should have given her an inattentive driving and failure to yield ticket. She probably gave him some sob story and he let her off light. Based on the damage you stated she was only going 10-12 when she hit you. At 15 she would have been at least a foot into the body. Hope you get it back on the road soon. I just got mine back yesterday from my rear end shot. It took only 4 days, but I got lucky and they had all the parts, and I give the shop a lot of business so they bumped a few people for me :) jason Daniels 94 530ita (new bumper assembly) 88 325ica 74 2002tii 85 volvo wagon turbo 5 speed. - ---------- > From: Peter Sterne <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: uucdigest <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: [uuc] BMW Sandwich > Date: Sunday, April 16, 2000 9:27 AM > > Yesterday morning my 6 year old son and I were victims of the SUV > craze. We were waiting patiently behind a Lexus LX470 who was making a > left turn, when we were struck, without warning, from behind by a Lexus > LX300 which drove us into the SUV in front (complete with trailer > hitch). snip> ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 12:16:01 -0500 From: "Daniels, Jason S" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] Good ending to the Water Pump story - ---------- > From: Jim Powell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: [uuc] Good ending to the Water Pump story > Date: Saturday, April 15, 2000 6:27 PM > > One of the usual ways is to double nut them so that one nut locks the > other and put them in with a socket and torque wrench to about 5-10 > lb.ft. I would go with the rating for tightening the nuts. > > Then hold the inner nut with an open end and back the secondary nut off > and finally remove the inner nut which should now be loose. > > As a nearly unrelated thread, I suppose you saw the two threaded holes > on opposite sides of your old water pump? > > Those are used to run threaded bolts into a work side to side to push > the old water pump off. They are usually stuck in pretty good and > anything you do to pry it off is likely to slip and poke a hole in the > radiator. Just a note for those that will be attacking their water > pumps in the coming summer. Finally did you bleed the air out of the > radiator at that little black plastic screw on top? Its a good idea to > check levels in a week or so after replacing the cooling system. Check > the level with the car flat and the motor cold. > > Hasta! > > Jim > > David Moore wrote: > > > > For those that were concerned ;) > > > > to recap: in the process of replacing the > > waterpump, fan clutch, and radiator, I broke a > > waterpump stud. This BUMMED me out. I sent a > > note to the digest asking about the possible > > exposure and if anyone had any suggestions. I > > got a few "I've had that happen, I just live with > > it"...and a few "Don't drive it...fix it". > > > > Well, I drove it for a few days wth the broken > > stud after ordering 4 new studs at the stealer. > > Took it all apart this morning and found about a > > half inch remaining sticking out of the block. A > > good set of visegrips took it and the other three > > out! Here's a question.. how was I supposed to > > properly get the new studs in? I wrapped a cloth > > around each and turned them in. Is there a > > special technique to install these? > > > > The re-install of everything went uneventful. > > Now I'm driving around with assurance that that > > puppy isn't coming out! > > > > Thanks for all the private replies! > > > > Cheers, > > David Moore > > 1991 525i > > > > __________________________________________________ > > Do You Yahoo!? > > Send online invitations with Yahoo! Invites. > > http://invites.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 12:21:45 -0500 From: "Daniels, Jason S" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] Good ending to the Water Pump story All this water pump talk must be contagious. Pulled the convertible out last week, did the usual spring fluid changes, drove it all week and I pulled into the garage yesterday and put it in park then, BAM! Loud squealing and a large cloud of steam. The pump just self destructed. Bummer, Well the T belt was 3 years old and I was going to change it anyway, but the pump had only 15K on it. OH WELL..... jason Daniels - ---------- > From: Jim Powell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: [uuc] Good ending to the Water Pump story > Date: Saturday, April 15, 2000 6:27 PM > > One of the usual ways is to double nut them so that one nut locks the > other and put them in with a socket and torque wrench to about 5-10 > lb.ft. I would go with the rating for tightening the nuts. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 13:28:58 -0400 From: Jim Verrette <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] Schroth Harnessbelts Ron, HMS Motorsport is the main US Distributor and Rep for Schroth, Joe has quite a bit of training and experience in this field. I don't know where Joel sent his email, but it is not uncommon for companies to forward inquiries to a local representative. Joe Marko's response does make sense. I spoke with Joe Marko about the ASM feature and he explained that the ASM feature is not meant to allow the driver to be pushed over in the case of a rollover. It is an anti-submarining feature. It allows the person's upper torso to twist which pushes your butt back into the seat preventing you from sliding under the lap belt. As with air bags and regular seatbelts, there is quite a bit of controvesy reguarding their effectiveness. Proper installation is also something people should be aware of. I have been told that they are useless if installed improperly. They don't appear to be as "idiot proof" as regular seatbelts. Instruction on the proper adjustment and use seems like it would be very important. - -Jim V. > > Date: Sat, 15 Apr 2000 17:25:34 -0400 > From: Ron Katona <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: re: [uuc] Schroth Harnessbelts > > Sorry for quoting Joel's post in its entirety, but I think it's > important for everyone to know the whole background. > > First, I'll admit I heard the following information second hand. The > driver of the car involved related the story to the owner of OG Racing > in Manassas, VA., a race equipment specialty shop, who related it to me > in person. Now I'm relating it to you third hand. Take that for what > it's worth, but seriously consider this if you're looking at the Schroth > 4-points. I'm simply passing along this information, not advocating any > brand or distributor. If anything, Schroth, not any of their > distributors, needs to be contacted and provide direct guidance. > > The incident in question is a wreck at a CCA drivers' school at Watkins > Glen last year involving an E36. The car had Schroth 4-points installed > with the rollover protection gizmo that basically allows one (towards > the center of the car) shoulder belt to stretch a certain amount more > than the normal give in the webbing in order to allow the driver to be > pushed down and to the side to avoid being crushed by a collapsing roof > in a rollover. The point is to provide for the use of harnesses in a > street car sans roll bar. > > The problem in this particular incident was that there were multiple > impacts. The first stretched the belt as advertised. The second caused > the driver's head to ***impact the windshield*** since he was no longer > held securely by both shoulder straps! > > Of course, he had a helmet on and there was no serious injury even > though the impact shattered the windshield. Good thing it was a full > face helmet. Realize that a stock belt system runs diagonally across the > torso thus limiting this type of movement. A four point's shoulder > harnesses each run down one side of the torso and apparently can't > prevent this type of movement if one shoulder belt is loosened > significantly by an initial impact. I think this is fairly easy to > visualize. > > So, where did the rumor to wear the stock belt with this system come > from? The driver of the wrecked car claims it comes from SCHROTH! > > The owner of the E36 wrote Schroth and asked why the belts performed in > this manner during his crash. He said Schroth wrote back and said to > wear the stock 3-points with the 4-points. Apparently, the Schroth > 4-points are meant to hold you in the seat nicely for track work, but > are not meant as a true safety system for tracked cars. He related this > story to OG Racing when he came in to have his helmet sent in for > examination after the incident. He had originally purchased the helmet > from OG. He also said that the instructor in this case had Schroth > 4-points in his car and reportedly removed them after this incident. > > Joel, you said you contacted Schroth via their web site and that Joe > Marko answered. Joe, of course, is well known in BMW CCA circles, but he > doesn't work for Schroth. Joe runs HMS Motorsports. I've been there and > met Joe (very briefly, he probably doesn't remember) and he's a nice > guy. I've never heard a bad thing about him or his business. But I > wonder if he's aware of this incident or this claimed advice from > Schroth? From the sound of it, I'd say not. Schroth's web site is > <http://www.schroth.com/>. Schroth is a German firm - did you or Joe > actually hear from them? > > Bottom line: there is a controversy over the safety of Schroth 4-points > at the track. Use at your own risk, but be informed. > - -- > Ron Katona ------------------------------ End of [uucdigest] V3 #606 ************************** _________________________________________ | Please visit these UUC-approved BMW parts vendors/service providers: | (listed alphabetically) | Bonneville Motorwerks . http://www.bonnevillemotorwerks.com | Circle Tire Co. (used & classic BMW parts) e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] | Curry's Auto Service . http://www.currysauto.com | Eurosport . http://www.eurosport-hp.com | Koala MotorSport . http://www.koalamotorsport.com | Taylor BMW - http://www.taylorbmw.com - Doc Bimmer! | The Ultimate Garage . http://www.ultimategarage.com | UUC Motorwerks . http://www.uucmotorwerks.com | Zionsville Autosport . http://www.zionsvilleautosport.com ����������������������������������������
